Phalaenopsis orchid plant named ‘PHALFOLAK’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Phalaenopsis  plant named ‘PHALFOLAK’, particularly characterized by having yellow striped flowers, 1 to 3 peduncles, a peduncle that is short and sturdy, leaves that are lanceolate and moderately elongated, and is propagated by tissue culture is disclosed.

Genus and species: Phalaenopsis hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘PHALFOLAK’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Phalaenopsis plant, botanically known as Phalaenopsis of the Orchidaceae family, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘PHALFOLAK’.

Phalaenopsis comprises a genus of about 60 species of herbaceous perennials many of which, or the hybrids thereof, are suitable for cultivar in the home or greenhouse. Phalaenopsis is predominantly epiphytic or rock dwelling, and is native to tropical Asia, the Malay Archipelago, and Oceania. The species typically has 2-ranked, fleshy, oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodial growth), which vary in size from 12 to 20 cm to over 60 cm. The leaves may be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.

Phalaenopsis orchids, often referred to as ‘Moth Orchids’ in the horticultural trade, are frequently used to furnish cut flowers for the florist trade or sold as flowering potted-plants for home or interiorscape.

Phalaenopsis produces upright or pendent lateral racemes or panicles, often with many showy flowers which open in succession beginning with the lowermost. The flowers possess three sepals and three petals; the lateral ones being alike. The lowermost petals, called the labellum, are three-lobed and are often more brightly-colored than the other flower segments. Flower colors include various shades of pink, white, yellow, and red-brown.

Phalaenopsis orchids are typically propagated from seeds. Asexual propagation of Phalaenopsis is often done from off-shoots which arise from the lower bracts of the inflorescence. The resulting plants are detached from the mother plants and may be planted in a suitable substrate.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘PHALFOLAK’ is particularly characterized by its attractive and unique yellow striped flowers, economical propagation by tissue culture, rapid growth, and a plant dimension suitable for packaging and shipping to the market.

‘PHALFOLAK’ is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘PHALFOLAK’ originated from a cross made in July 2007 in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. The female parent is a yellow Phalaenopsis pot plant named ‘21480-0002’ (unpatented), while the male parent is a white striped Phalaenopsis pot plant named ‘21077-0001’ (unpatented). A single plant was selected in July 2010 and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by meristem tissue culture in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands over a 2.5-year period. The new variety has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

Asexual reproduction of ‘PHALFOLAK’ by tissue culture was first performed in September 2012 in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands and has demonstrated that the new cultivar is firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this variety have been applied for in Europe on Sep. 29, 2014. ‘PHALFOLAK’ has not been made publicly available or sold anywhere in the world more than one year prior to the filing date of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands.

-   -   1) Yellow striped flowers;     -   2) 1 to 3 peduncles;     -   3) Peduncle is short and sturdy;     -   4) The shape of the leaf is lanceolate and moderately elongated;         and     -   5) Plants are propagated by meristem tissue culture.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Phalaenopsis plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the overall plant habit including blooms, buds and foliage of the plant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. The photographs are of a 50-week old plant grown in-a greenhouse in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands in January 2015.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit, including blooms, buds and foliage of ‘PHALFOLAK’.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of a flower of ‘PHALFOLAK’.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the leaves of ‘PHALFOLAK’.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘PHALFOLAK’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. The plant history was taken on 50-week old plants which were planted from a nursery tray in 12 centimeter pots and grown in a greenhouse between 27° C. to 29° C. for 30 weeks, continued by a cooling period of 8 weeks between 18° C. to 20° C. and 12 weeks in a greenhouse of 21° C. Observations were made in January 2015. Color readings were taken under 4000-6000 lux natural light in the greenhouse. Color references are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (2001).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Orchidaceae.         -   Botanical.—Phalaenopsis hybrid.         -   Common name.—Phalaenopsis.         -   Variety name.—‘PHALFOLAK’.

Parentage:

-   -   -   Female parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘21480-0002’             (unpatented).         -   Male parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘21077-0001’             (unpatented).

-   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Tissue culture.

-   Plant:     -   -   Crop time (time to produce a finished flowering plant).—48             to 50 weeks for a 12 cm pot.         -   Growth habit of peduncle.—Standard, green leaves, panicle.         -   Height (including pot, including inflorescence).—30.0 cm to             40.0 cm.         -   Width (measured from leaf tips).—24.0 cm to 29.0 cm.         -   Vigor.—Moderate.

-   Roots:     -   -   Root description.—Grey-green-colored roots with lightly             branching lateral roots having grey-green colored root tips.

-   Leaves:     -   -   Mature leaves.—Quantity per plant: 7 to 9 leaves are             produced before flowering. Length (fully expanded): 12.0 cm             to 16.0 cm. Width: 5.0 cm to 6.0 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Base             shape: Moderately elongated. Apex: Unequal acute. Leaf blade             angle with the petiole: Between 35 degrees and 50 degrees             (measured from petiole to leaf). Leaf margin: Entire. Color:             Upper surface: RHS 147A and towards the stem RHS 146A. Lower             surface: RHS 146A. Texture: Rough. Thickness: 2.3 mm to             2.7 mm. Venation: Pattern: Parallel. Color of the midvein:             Upper surface: RHS 147A. Lower surface: RHS 177A.

-   Peduncle:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—1 to 3.         -   Number of flowers per peduncle.—12 to 22.         -   Length.—22.0 cm to 27.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—3.9 mm to 4.2 mm.         -   Strength.—Sturdy.         -   Aspect.—Upright.         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Color.—Dark green (RHS 147A).         -   Internode length.—35.0 mm to 40.0 mm.         -   Callosities.—None.

-   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Upright to slightly pendant, panicle             inflorescence with bilaterally symmetrical flowers that open             in succession beginning with the lowermost flower.         -   Inflorescence size.—Height (from base to tip): 140.0 mm to             170.0 mm. Diameter: 3.5 mm to 3.8 mm.         -   Flowering time.—First flowers can be expected 10 to 11             months after planting in a 12 cm pot.         -   Flower.—Height: 55.0 mm to 60.0 mm. Diameter: 54.0 mm to             58.0 mm. Depth of lip: 12.0 mm to 15.0 mm.         -   Flower longevity.—On the plant: 7 to 11 weeks.         -   Fragrance.—Absent.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Free. Shape: Semi-circular. Apex:             Emarginated and slightly asymmetric. Margin: Entire. Length             (from base to tip): 26.0 mm to 28.0 mm. Width: 23.0 mm to             25.0 mm. Color (when fully opened): Main color: Yellow (RHS             1C) striped (RHS 184B). At the base: Yellow (RHS 1C).         -   Dorsal sepal.—Shape: Elliptic. Margin: Entire. Length (from             base to tip): 26.0 mm to 28.0 mm. Width: 15.0 mm to 17.0 mm.             Color (when fully opened): Main color: Yellow (RHS 1C)             striped (RHS 184B). At the base: Yellow (RHS 1C).         -   Lateral sepals.—Shape: Ovate. Margin: Entire. Length (from             base to tip): 26.0 mm to 28.0 mm. Width: 16.0 mm to 18.0 mm.             Color (when fully opened): Main color: Yellow (RHS 1C)             striped (RHS 184B). At the base: Yellow (RHS 1C).         -   Labellum (lip).—Margin: Entire. Length: 15.0 mm to 17.0 mm.             Width: 10.0 mm to 12.0 mm. Whiskers: Present. Length of             whiskers: Short.         -   Lateral lobe.—Shape: Type IV (as described in the             International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of             Plants (UPOV) Test Guidelines for Phalaenopsis). Color:             Yellow/purple (RHS 12A, 78B).         -   Apical lobe.—Shape: Elliptic. Color: Yellow (RHS 9B)             red-purple towards the whiskers (RHS 60D).         -   Callus.—Color: Yellow (RHS 14A) dotted.

-   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Arrangement.—The stamens, style and stigmas are fused into a             single, short structure called the column, possessing one             terminal anther with pollen grains united into pollinia,             which are covered by an anther cap. The stigma is located             under the column behind the pollinia. The ovary is inferior             with three carpels present.         -   Column.—Length: 7.5 mm to 9.5 mm. Diameter: 3.6 mm towards             the top 4.5 mm. Color: White (RHS 115C) and light red-purple             (RHS 74D).         -   Pollinia.—Quantity: 2. Size: 0.8 mm to 1.0 mm. Color:             Yellow-orange (RHS 23A).         -   Ovary.—Length: 4.0 mm to 6.0 mm. Diameter: 1.8 mm to 2.0 mm.         -   Pedicel.—Length: 17.0 mm to 20.0 mm. Diameter: 2.3 mm to 2.5             mm.

-   Disease, pest, and stress resistance: No specific resistance or     susceptibility observed.

-   Temperature tolerance: Tolerant to a low temperature of 15° C. and a     high temperature about 30° C.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL VARIETIES

‘PHALFOLAK’ differs from female parent ‘21480-0002’ (unpatented) in that ‘PHALFOLAK’ has yellow striped flowers, whereas ‘21480-0002’ has yellow flowers.

‘PHALFOLAK’ differs from male parent ‘21077-0001’ (unpatented) in that ‘PHALFOLAK’ has yellow striped flowers, whereas ‘21077-0001’ has white striped flowers. Additionally, ‘PHALFOLAK’ has an elliptic apical lobe, whereas ‘21077-0001’ has a triangular apical lobe.

‘PHALFOLAK’ differs from commercial variety ‘PALCUWIM’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,138) in that ‘PHALFOLAK’ has yellow striped flowers and striped lateral sepals, whereas ‘PHALCUWIM’ has flowers with a little light pink center and dotted lateral sepals. Additionally, ‘PHALFOLAK’ has a more narrow lip than ‘PHALCUWIM’. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Phalaenopsis plant named ‘PHALFOLAK’, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 